Galapagos Night Diving
Diving at night is something very special. Species that are calm and relaxed during the day, or do not show themselves at all, are often active at night and can be observed hunting. Swimming in fluorescent plankton is a somehow otherworldly experience. Simply spectacular.
Location
Punta Estrada is located 10 minutes south of the main port in Puerto Ayora - Santa Cruz Island.
Galapagos Night Diving
Dive conditions
Due to the limited orientation on night dives, it is important to carry out this type of diving in a safe place. Punta Estrada, southwest of Academy Bay off Puerto Ayora, is such a place. Located at the entrance of the bay, it is protected from strong currents and swells.
There the ravine of the bay begins, i.e. underwater you find a small wall up to 8 meters followed by a mixed bottom (rocky-sandy); heading south you can reach a depth of 15 meters.
Dive activity
Activity
By having a mixed bottom it harbors benthic and pelagic species, furthermore it is a coral reforestation site run by the Galapagos National Park. Here it is common to observe different behaviors such as feeding (rays feeding on the sandy bottom), surgeon fish and parrot fish cleaning station, and playful sea lions.
- Green turtles
- White tip sharks
- Galapagos sharks
- Golden rays
- Marbled rays frequent this dive spot
- You will be surrounded by a great variety of reef fish
- Benthic species such as scorpion fish
- Churos
- Octopus
- Lobsters
- Nudibranchs
- Macro species
GALAPAGOS DAILY DIVING TOURS
What’s included in our daily diving tours?
- 2 Dives per Day
- 2 x 12 ltr tanks normal air PADI Open Water (or equivalent certification from other recognized dive institutions) is sufficient for participation at all dive sites
- Small Groups
- Max. 6 divers/guide for a safe and great experience underwater.
- Professional and Experienced Crew
- Spanish/English speaking dive guides authorized by the National Park Galápagos, all PADI instructors with many years of experience in local waters. Attentive and service-oriented staff with many years of experience in the diving business.
- Check dive
- A short weight and gear check in shallow waters (Galapagos waters require more neoprene and weights than you may be used to). Quick skills refresher if it´s been a while since your last dive.
- Complete Dive Gear
- 5 or 7mm wetsuit, regulator (yoke) with pressure and depth gauge, BCD, mask, fins, boots, hood, cotton gloves, weight belt and 2 air tanks.
- Food and more
- Hot lunch (delicious local/ international food, specialties such as vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free food are possible), snacks and fruits, table water, juice and tea. Towel service.
Requirements and Special Considerations
To join the group on our dives, please note the following:
- An open water diving certification (PADI, NAUI, CMAS, etc.) and the completed application form are required.
- Those without a diving certification may book a Discovery Dive or a PADI diving course.
- A medical certificate is required for participants with specified pre-existing medical conditions, as well as for those over 50 who have not dived in the last 8 months.
- Guests ages 65+: a private Divemaster is required on the first day of diving (max. 4 divers per DM); on subsequent days, additional support may be required at an extra charge.
- The minimum age for participation is 10 years.
- For children ages 10 to 11, a private guide is required, as the group dives deeper than their certified maximum depth. For ages 12 to 14, a private guide is recommended; otherwise, an adult family member who dives must accompany them. Special rules may apply at Gordon Rocks.
- Beginners are welcome at all dive sites, except at Gordon Rocks: There, an Advanced certification, at least 25 logged dives, and one dive within the last 12 months are required (or a pre-dive assessment by the guides).
- Accompanying guests and snorkelers will only be allowed to join if they pay the full price and hire a private snorkeling guide.
- We strive to keep our dive group together; solo dives and unaccompanied ascents are not permitted. Please report any special restrictions in advance.
- Guests with problems equalizing or other restrictions need a private Divemaster.
- For guests with a high air consumption, we can provide a 15-liter air tank.
- Anyone who practices professional or semi-professional underwater photography—or who wants to make sure they get the most out of their one-hour dive—needs a personal dive guide.
Extra Services
If you would like to, you can book the following extra services with us.
| DIN Adapter | $5.00 each* |
| NITROX Tanks | $15.00 each (must be certified) |
| 15 liters tank with air | $10.00 each |
| Dive Computer | $15.00 per day* |
| Private Dive Guide | $180.00 |
| *depending on availability (Please contact us in advance to check availability for your dive day) | |
More Dive Sites
Our daily diving tours are the easiest option to get to know the beauty of the underwater world of the Galapagos Islands.
Explore our diving tours
Frequently asked questions
Diving in the Galapagos is always great, no matter when you come. Most emblematic animals such as hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, rays, are here all year round. In the cold season (June-November) the chances of encountering special animals such as a manta ray or a sunfish on a day dive are better. With a lot of luck a whale shark will swim by. However, the waters are more difficult to dive during the cold season. The warm season (December-May) offers more relaxed diving and better visibility.
Despite its location on the equator, Galapagos has marked seasons due to the influence of different winds and ocean currents. December - May: 70°F/20°C - 80°F/26°C water temperature; the southeast trade winds weaken and the water from the Panama Basin brings warmer and calmer seas; sailing to the dive sites is easier; average visibility is better, around 12m. June - November: 65°F/18°C - 75°F/23°C water temperature; the Humboldt Current typically brings choppy seas and strong surges making sailing times longer; the average visibility drops to about 7m.
An open-water diving certification (PADI, SSI, NAUI, BASC, …) is sufficient to participate in all daily diving tours, except the Gordon Rocks dive site, which requires an advanced certification and a minimum of 25 logged dives. If Gordon Rocks is scheduled as the first day of diving, your last dive in open water must have taken place no more than 12 months ago.
Some experience in cool, current-filled waters is an advantage (but not mandatory), as water temperatures here are quite low and all dives are drift dives. Divers without an Open Water certification can complete a ´Discovery Dive´ under private instruction at all dive sites except Gordon Rocks.
Yes, if you have at least 18 dives experience, you can have your diving skills evaluated for Gordon Rocks by our guides on a previous dive.
We recommend booking both single day tours and a travel program in advance, as availability may be severely limited a few days or weeks before the planned trip. Boats for day diving tours in the archipelago have a maximum capacity of 12 guests. If you intend to come during the high season (Easter, July/August, Christmas/New Year) or as a group it makes sense to contact us up to 1 year in advance, otherwise 6-3 months is sufficient to find flexible availability.
On each day diving tour, the last dive ends around 01:00 PM. PADI recommends 18 hours between diving and flying. As the first flights depart quite late in the morning, it is usually no problem to fly the day after diving. Night dives are not possible the day before a flight.
Yes, we give a discount of USD 20/ day diving tour for bringing complete private equipment (wetsuit, BCD, regulator, mask, and fins (boodies)). Please note that our tanks have YOKE connections; if you have a DIN regulator, you should also bring an adapter. The use of reef hooks is prohibited at all dive sites.
No, photos are not necessarily included. We want our guides to be able to concentrate fully on safe and good diving without the pressure of documenting the dive. However, the guides have private cameras which they are free to use as they think is fit. Whether the photos are made available for free afterwards or can be purchased for a few extra dollars is also at the decision of the respective dive guide. We allow our guests to take their own small camera on the tour. However, they must stay with the dive guide and follow the pace of the group. Guests who wish to concentrate on photography and may bring their (professional) camera equipment will require a private dive guide.
Our groups have a maximum of 5 divers/guide. Every day we try to divide the groups as much as possible into more experienced divers and less experienced divers. However, depending on the participants, it is difficult to do this very strictly, i.e. there can be quite a difference in diving experience within the group. If you, for example, have a lot of experience (200+ dives) and want to ensure an uninterrupted dive, there is the option of hiring a private guide. Likewise, if you are a beginner who is not confident enough in his/her diving skills, a private guide or an assistant can be hired.
Yes, you may book private guidance. We differentiate between an assistant/divemaster who helps you with diving in the group (for example in case of difficulties with pressure equalization or boyancy control) and a private dive guide/instructor who helps you if necessary but above all with whom you can dive independently of the group. An assistant costs USD 180/ day diving tour and a private guide USD 210/ day diving tour.
There are basically two possibilities: One is to add a couple of day diving tours before or after the cruise, which in most cases is the easier and more affordable option. The other is to include a diving day during the cruise, which means we pick you up from the cruise ship and drop you off there after diving. Whether and how this is possible depends on various factors, especially the itinerary of the cruise. This boat-to-boat option is almost exclusively possible as a charter booking.
No, these dive sites are too far away from any inhabited island to be reached on a day diving tour. Darwin and Wolf can only be visited on an 8 day/7 night dive liveaboard cruise.
We do not offer diving tours from Isabela Island.
Our team is happy to receive recognition for their work, of course. We recommend between 5-20 USD/tour as a tip. The money in the box is shared by all crew members. If you would like to thank a specific person, please put the money directly in their hand. However, it should be noted that no one has to live off the tips.
Meet our sales team
All locals, all divers and with many years of experience in the tourism business in Galapagos.
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Lisa
Sales Agent
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Jessica
Sales Agent
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Sabine
Sales Agent
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Virginia
Sales Agent